The present disclosure relates to a method of manufacturing molding elements for molds intended for molding tires provided with a tread comprising a circumferential arrangement of tread patterns. It relates more particularly to a cutting phase aimed at separating a plurality of segments obtained jointly during a molding operation.
The manufacture of tire molds and of components of these molds involves a wide variety of steps, often highly complex, and high production and material costs. Moreover, it is essential that all the components incorporated into the molds can enjoy a high level of accuracy, all this making the operations of designing and producing molds particularly tricky.
In order to optimize the processes without quality being adversely affected, all the parts that make up the molds and all the intermediate steps and operations need to be considered.
There is therefore still a need to optimize the process for producing the molds and the various elements that make up the molds, while at the same ensuring a high level of molding quality and a high level of flexibility in the methods of manufacture.
Document GB 2342604 is, moreover, known and describes a workpiece positioning jig for machine tools. This jig comprises a mounting body comprising a positioning part intended to be brought into contact with a workpiece and a bearing portion projecting downwards. A vertical rod extends through the positioning part and the bearing portion. At its lower end, this rod has a U-shaped reinforcing element.
Document JP 19940149993 relates to a mold with components that are very hard, very durable and simple to maintain. A plurality of elements are mounted in a support sector to constitute a segment. The parts are arranged contiguously so that the respectively adjacent faces of the parts are in contact with one another.
Document EP2399730 describes a mold in which a block is firmly secured, and which can be removed even after it has been used. This tire mold comprises a cavity surface formed in an interior surface of the mold. This mold comprises a block that has a plurality of platelike elements which are aligned with slots formed between each of the plates. The mold also comprises a support which contains a recess allowing the block to be fitted, and a securing element which is secured removably to the block and mounted in the recess.
Document US2008/0084017 relates to blocks which are assembled to provide a plurality of securing points so as to allow them to be secured to a table of a milling machine and to other blocks so as to allow various clamping options around the workpiece. Moreover, clamps, fasteners, blocks and T-nuts and various clamping tools can be used. No additional mounting plate or any other type of preparatory hardware is required for mounting all of the blocks on the milling table or any other work table on which a block securing space is provided.
In these documents, despite the diversity of the solutions put forward, not one allows the manufacture of tire mold segments to be optimized by taking into consideration on the one hand the requirements placed on the mold itself and, on the other hand, the multiple and varied requirements regarding the tires that are to be molded.